Paldeep S. Atwal, MD of Stanford University/Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and Jamie J. Barea, MD, of University of California, San Diego were honored as the 2014-2015 recipients of the Genzyme/ACMG Foundation Medical Genetics Training Award in Clinical Biochemical Genetics at the ACMG 2014 Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in Nashville, TN.

The objective of the two Genzyme/ACMG Foundation Awards is to support a national training program to encourage the recruitment and training of clinicians in the field of clinical biochemical genetics and especially in the diagnosis, management and treatment of individuals with metabolic diseases. Two awardees are given the opportunity to participate in an in-depth clinical and research experience at a premier medical center with expertise and significant clinical volume in the area of biochemical genetics.

The Award grants $75,000 per year to each of two recipients' institution selected by the ACMG Foundation through a competitive process and will provide for the sponsorship of one year of the trainees' clinical genetics subspecialty in biochemical genetics following residency.

Dr. Atwal received his MD from the University Of Glasgow, Scotland; completed his internal medicine residency with The Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and is currently in the second year of residency in Medical Genetics at Stanford University/Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. His research during the award period will focus on perfecting a novel screening and diagnostic platform for diagnosing lysosomal storage diseases by newborn screening and as a clinical screening tool. He will continue his training as part of the Medical Biochemical Genetics Fellowship Program at Baylor College of Medicine.

"I am humbled to be granted the Genzyme/ACMG Foundation award. I am confident the Medical Biochemical Genetics Fellowship will provide a platform for me to provide the best clinical care possible for patients with inborn errors of metabolism including mitochondrial disorders whilst concurrently conducting translational research."

The second award recipient, Dr. Barea, is currently in his second year of residency in Medical Genetics at University of California- San Diego. He said, "I am honored and excited to be one of the recipients of the Genzyme/ACMG Foundation Award. This award will give me a great opportunity as a Biochemical Genetics fellow at UCSD to gain more knowledge and experience through clinical work and research. This experience will allow me to provide the best possible care for all of my future patients." Dr. Barea completed his MD at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, MA and a Pediatrics Residency at University of California, San Diego. His research during the Award period will involve a metabolomic study searching for biomarkers in Gaucher disease and Pompe disease.

"The Genzyme/ACMG Foundation Clinical Genetics Award in Clinical Biochemical Genetics is critical to the development of the genetics workforce. Biochemical genetics is undergoing particularly rapid change, as new insights into disease mechanisms are leading to new methods of treatment," said Bruce R. Korf, MD, PhD, FACMG, president of the ACMG Foundation.

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Since 2005, the Genzyme Corporation has generously sponsored this prestigious award, and in 2012 they doubled their commitment for the 2012 through 2016 Fellowships. The ACMG Foundation is honored to have the Genzyme Corporation as a member of its Corporate Partners Program. For more information about the Corporate Partners Program and other ways to support the work of the ACMG Foundation, please visit
http://www.acmgfoundation.org.

Note to editors: To arrange interviews with experts in medical genetics, contact Kathy Beal, MBA, ACMG Director of Public Relations at kbeal@acmg.net or 301-238-4582.

The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a community of supporters and contributors who understand the importance of medical genetics and genomics and genetic counseling in healthcare. Established in 1992, the ACMG Foundation supports the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics' mission to "translate genes into health" by raising funds to promote the profession of medical genetics and genomics to medical students, to fund the training of future medical geneticists, to support best-practices and tools for practicing physicians and laboratory directors, to promote awareness and understanding of our work in the general public, and much more.

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